The Parliament, which had been prorogued on December 4, 2008, met this day at Ottawa for the dispatch of business.

The House met at 1:30 p.m., the Speaker in the chair.

The Speaker read a communication from the Secretary to the Governor General announcing that Their Excellencies, the Governor General and Jean-Daniel Lafond, would arrive at the Peace Tower at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, January 26, 2009, and that when it was indicated that all was in readiness, Their Excellencies would proceed to the chamber of the Senate to formally open the second session of the 40th Parliament of Canada.

A message was delivered by the Usher of the Black Rod as follows:

Mr. Speaker, it is the desire of Her Excellency the Governor General that this honourable House attend her immediately in the Senate chamber.

I wish to inform the House that, pursuant to Standing Order 55(1), and at the request of the government, the Chair has ordered the printing of a special order paper giving notice of a government motion.

I have the honour to inform the House that when the House of Commons did attend Her Excellency the Governor General this day in the Senate chamber, Her Excellency was pleased to make a speech to both Houses of Parliament. To prevent mistakes I have obtained a copy, which is as follows:

Speech from the ThroneOpening of the Second Session of the 40th Parliament

2:30 p.m.

The Governor General

Honourable Senators, Members of the House of Commons, Ladies and gentlemen,

In these uncertain times, when the world is threatened by a struggling economy, it is imperative that we work together, that we stand beside one another and that we strive for greater solidarity.

Today, in our democratic tradition, Canadians expect that their elected representatives will dedicate their efforts to ensure that Canada emerges stronger from this serious economic crisis.

Once again, the people’s representatives have gathered to consider the priorities of another parliamentary session.

Each Throne Speech is a milestone on the remarkable 142-year Canadian journey. Your predecessors, too, were summoned to this chamber at times of great crisis: as Canada struggled to claim her independence, in the shadow of war, during the depth of the Great Depression and at moments when great policy division tugged the very bonds of this union.

Today we meet at a time of unprecedented economic uncertainty. The global credit crunch has dragged the world economy into a crisis whose pull we cannot escape. The nations of the world are grappling with challenges that Canada can address but not avoid.

The Government’s agenda and the priorities of Parliament must adapt in response to the deepening crisis. Old assumptions must be tested and old decisions must be rethought. The global economy has weakened since Canadians voted in the last general election. In fact, it has weakened further since Parliament met last month.

Our Government has listened to Canadians who are concerned about how the worldwide recession is affecting their jobs, their savings and their communities. Our Government has reached out to Canadians in all regions, in all communities and from all walks of life.

Our Government has consulted widely:

• with those who work, those who invest, those who create jobs, those who build infrastructure and those who provide non-profit services;

• with municipal, provincial and territorial governments, Aboriginal leaders and representatives of communities;

• in fact, with everyone whose input might help chart a course through the present storm.

Our Government approached the dialogue in a spirit of open and non-partisan cooperation. There is no monopoly on good ideas because we face this crisis together. There can be no pride of authorship—only the satisfaction of identifying solutions that will work for all Canadians.

Acting on the constructive thoughts and suggestions that have been received, our Government will tomorrow present Canada’s economic stimulus plan. The plan will protect our economy from immediate threat, while making investments to promote long term growth.

The economic stimulus plan will be a plan of action.

• Our Government is stimulating the economy, both through direct government action and by encouraging private expenditure.

• Our Government is taking immediate action to build Canada through new investment in infrastructure.

• Our Government is acting to protect the stability of our financial system.

• Our Government is acting to ensure access to credit for businesses and consumers.

• Our Government is acting to support Canadian industries in difficulty--including forestry, manufacturing, automotive, tourism, agriculture--and to protect the families and communities who depend on those jobs.

• Our Government is acting to protect the vulnerable: the unemployed, lower-income Canadians, seniors, Aboriginal Canadians and others hit hardest by the global economic recession.

These actions will be targeted, they will inject immediate stimulus while promoting long-term growth and they will avoid a return to permanent deficits.

These actions will protect the jobs of today while readying our economy to create the jobs of tomorrow.

Canadians face a difficult year--perhaps several difficult years. In the face of such uncertainty, our Government has developed a clear and focused plan. Our Government will spend what is necessary to stimulate the economy, and invest what is necessary to protect our future prosperity.

As Canadians expect, the economy will be the focus of our Government’s actions and of the measures placed before Parliament during the coming year. In pursuing measures to support the economy, our Government will also attend to the other important priorities that it set out in the Speech from the Throne to open the 40th Parliament.

The present crisis is new, but the imperative of concerted action is a challenge to which Parliament has risen many times in our history. What will sustain us today will be the same strengths of character that have pulled Canada through critical times before: unity, determination and constancy of purpose.

Honourable Members of the Senate,

Members of the House of Commons:

As you unite in common effort and in common cause, may Divine Providence be your guide and inspiration.

I would like to make a statement concerning private members' business. Standing Order 86.1 states that items of private members' business shall stand from session to session.

In practical terms, this means that the list for the consideration of private members' business, established by a random draw at the beginning of the 40th Parliament pursuant to Standing Order 87, shall continue for the duration of this Parliament.

There were 267 motions on the order paper at the time of prorogation and they shall stand on the list of items outside the order of precedence. Bills that had received first reading shall also stand on that list. Bills that had met the notice requirement and were printed in the order paper, but had not yet been introduced, will be republished on the order paper under the heading “Introduction of Private Members' Bills”. However, bills that had not yet been published on the order paper need to be re-certified by legislative council and resubmitted for publication on the notice paper.

Items of private members' business will keep the same number as in the first session of the 40th Parliament.

Finally, Standing Order 87 provides that the order of precedence shall be established on the 20th sitting day following the draw. Eight sitting days having elapsed in the previous session, the order of precedence will be constituted on the 12th sitting day of this session. Members who are at the top of the list will have until 6 p.m. that day to introduce a bill or place a motion on notice and two further sitting days to select which item will be placed on the order of precedence. Private members hour will begin shortly after the tabling by the Subcommittee on Private Members' Business of its report on the items that will remain votable.

I trust that this will assist the House in understanding how private members' business will be conducted in the second session. The Table Officers can answer any other questions members may have.

That, notwithstanding any Standing Order or usual practices of the House, after consultation with the party whips, the Clerk of the House be authorized to convene for Tuesday, January 27, 2009 a meeting of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs; and that on Tuesday, January 27, 2009, the House shall meet at 2:00 p.m. when members may make statements pursuant to Standing Order 31; not later than 2:15 p.m. oral questions shall be taken up; and at 3:00 p.m. the House shall proceed to the ordinary daily routine of business; following the ordinary daily routine of business the House shall, if necessary, suspend until 4:00 p.m. for the presentation of the Budget.

Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties and I believe you will find consent for the following motion. I move:

That notwithstanding the calendar tabled by the Speaker pursuant to Standing Order 28(2)(b), the House not sit on Friday, May 1, 2009; that, notwithstanding the Standing Orders and usual practice of the House, on Thursday, April 30, 2009, after Question Period, no dilatory motions or requests for unanimous consent shall be received by the Speaker, and that any recorded division that is deferred to or requested on Thursday, April 30, 2009, be deferred or further deferred, whichever the case may be, to the end of Government Orders on Monday, May 4, 2009.

I would remind members that this means the House will be sitting this Friday, January 30.